A DRIVER caught on his mobile phone tried to escape police by taking a right turn through a no entry sign and ended up with two fines.

The man was one of 1,073 offenders prosecuted in the “No Excuse” driver safety campaign last month with many still being caught not wearing a seatbelt.

And despite the campaign title, road safety chiefs have revealed how drivers are still trying to use excuses for their bad driving.

One man was stopped for holding his iPhone to his ear but said “I’m not using my phone I was listening to music” – but he was told that was still no excuse and was handed a fine.

Another man caught on his mobile phone said he was “literally telling my girlfriend I was driving and would phone her back.”

But officers found his call log showed he was on the phone for over six minutes.

Also among the offenders was a man caught driving at 66mph on the 50mph limit on Dorset Way in Poole who talked himself into more trouble.

As he got out of the car he said, “I don’t believe it, have you stopped me for using my mobile phone or for not wearing my seatbelt?”

As officers had not witnessed those offences he was given a warning for using his mobile phone and issued with tickets for the seatbelt offence and speeding.

From those caught, 95 drivers were issued tickets as either they or one of their passengers were not wearing a seatbelt with 78 drivers caught using their mobile phone.

Road Safety Manager for Dorset County Council Robert Smith said the scheme has been set up to move attention away from roads to drivers.

He said: “There is no such thing as a ‘dangerous road’ as can clearly be shown by the excuses that drivers in Dorset continue to give for their careless, bad and dangerous driving behaviour.

“Poor driving attitude can and often does lead to dangerous behaviour and it is this that the ‘no excuse’ project is working to change.”

Mr Smith said some drivers have failed to respond to being caught.

One man was caught speeding when he overtook an unmarked police car at 86mph before then “undercutting” another car.

Officers remembered catching him driving past a police station three months before while on his mobile phone and not wearing his seatbelt.

Mr Smith added: “We need everyone who uses the roads in Dorset to act responsibly.”